Summer is high time for visiting Long Island's county parks, and we asked Nassau and Suffolk county parks reps to give us their top 10 list of county parks for children.
From David Ring, spokesperson for the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums:
Eisenhower Park, East Meadow
It's centrally located. The playground has a spray area for children to play in on hot days, and an indoor swimming pool. Two miniature golf-courses and a batting cage with a range of speeds for both baseball and softball are some challenges the park offers.
Christopher Morley Park, Roslyn
The park offers a boat basin where children can launch model boats. It's got an outdoor swimming complex and an outdoor ice-skating rink. A nine-hole golf course allows tweens committed to golf to get good practice in as they gravitate toward an 18-hole challenge.
Nickerson Beach Park, Lido
This is the county's only oceanfront park. "The main attraction is really the beach," Ring says. A fun zone is made up of a playground for younger children, two basketball courts and a skate park.
Cantiague Park, Hicksville
The pool complex has an Olympic sized pool, a diving pool, a kiddie pool, an interactive water play area and two water slides.
Wantagh Park, Wantagh
Children can fish from the park's pier. There's also tennis, baseball and softball fields, and an outdoor swimming complex on the grounds.
From Emily Lauri, spokesperson for the Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation:
Meschutt Beach County Park, Hampton Bays
"The water is so calm and still, it makes a great kids' beach," Lauri said. "Families love it." If hunger strikes, there's also a concession stand.
Cedar Point County Park, East Hampton
This park also has a beach, and it has an area where families can rent rowboats. An interesting sight is the park's namesake lighthouse, the Cedar Island Lighthouse. While it's not open for visitors to climb, people can walk out to get a closer view of it.
Blydenburgh County Park, Smithtown
Children can fish here, or rent rowboats and canoes. There are wooded hiking trails. "You forget you're right on Vets Highway," Lauri says.
Lake Ronkonkoma County Park, Lake Ronkonkoma
The park has a new, state-of-the-art playground that's also handicap accessible. There's a fishing pier along with the usual park ballfields.
Southaven County Park, Brookhaven
The park has a campground. It also offers a miniature railroad that children can ride.
